What you need to know when selling your car with minor damage

Wiki Article

We’ve all been there - potholes, bumps, and the inevitable scratches from a badly-parked adjacent car at your local shopping mall. And when selling your car, it rarely, if ever, presents itself on the used marketplace in that same immaculate condition you bought it in. Minor damage is part and parcel of the used car journey and is nothing to be ashamed of or try to conceal.

There are probably two questions that you, as a car owner, may have on your mind when the time comes to selling your car:
What constitutes minor damage?
Is the damage even worth fixing before advertising my car for sale?

Worry not! Before selling your car and taking a course of action, there are several options to explore as well as various professional opinions to consult. To panel beat or not to panel beat? That is the question!

Here are a few tips to consider when preparing your “imperfect” used car for a near-perfect marketplace deal.
Utilise your vehicle’s current warranty or service plan
If your used vehicle is still within its first 3 years, or 100,000km, there’s a good chance that your dealership sweetened the deal with a warranty or service plan, which covers a varying degree of repair work. You may also feel justified in winning that household budget argument about extending your original warranty or service plan beyond its original term. This is an ideal opportunity to take your vehicle to your dealership to do a thorough inspection and ensure that some of your vehicle’s primary working parts are in tip-top shape before selling your car.

(Please bear in mind that these plans are limited on what they cover and may not include windscreen, paint and tyre repairs).
Get the full makeover at a local reputable mechanic before selling your car
For vehicle owners out of warranty - or for those who prefer to service their car at irregular intervals - a trip to a professional mechanic or dealership is well advised. By taking care of minor repair work before advertising the sale of your second hand vehicle, it ensures that you can get improved offers for your vehicle and avoid any scrutiny when a potential buyer carries out an inspection on your car. Ensure that you consult a reputable or authorised dealer and keep records of all repair work carried out.
Selling your car in its current condition
Not everyone has the luxury of a service plan or a trusted mechanic to call on for all auto problems, big or small. Let’s be real - life is stressful and some of us don’t even have the time to leave our car at a dealership for inspection. This is not the ideal scenario when selling your car, but you do have the option of selling your car “voetstoots” and accepting the best cash offer considering its current wear and tear. Be prepared, however, for some serious scrutiny and some hard bargaining but this may be the quickest method of selling your used vehicle and getting the necessary funds together.

Whichever route you decide to take when selling your car with minor damage, all sellers will agree that the best method to sell your car is through a reputable online marketplace. With the stress of calculating minor damage safely out of the frame, you can then concentrate on advertising to serious buyers, a secure platform, and ultimately the best market-related price offers for your pre-owned vehicle.

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